20 Questions Directors Should Ask About Governance Committees

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  • 8/18/2019 20 Questions Directors Should Ask About Governance Committees

    1/27THIS DOCUMENT WAS ORIGINALLY ISSUED BY A CPA CANADA LEGACY BODY

     20 QuestionsDirectors Should Ask AboutGovernance Committees

    David Anderson, MBA, PhD, ICD.D

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    This publication was originally published by The Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants

    in 2010. It has been reissued by Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada.

     20 QuestionsDirectors Should Ask AboutGovernance CommitteesDavid Anderson, MBA, PhD, ICD.D

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    Copyright © 2010

    The Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants277 Wellington Street West

    Toronto, ON M5V 3H2

    All rights reserved. This publication is protected by copyright and writtenpermission is required to reproduce, store in a retrieval system or transmit in

    any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording,

    or otherwise).

    For information regarding permission, please contact [email protected]

    Printed in Canada

    Disponible en français

    Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication

    Anderson, David Wayne

      20 questions directors should ask about governance committees /David Anderson.

    (20 questions)Issued also in French.ISBN 978-1-55385-498-2

      1. Corporate governance—Miscellanea. 2. Committees—Miscellanea.

    3. Boards of directors—Miscellanea. I. Canadian Institute of CharteredAccountants II. Title. III. Title: Twenty questions directors should ask about

    governance committees. IV. Series: 20 questions (Canadian Institute of

    Chartered Accountants)

    HD2745.A54 2010 658.4’22 C2010-902887-2

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    1

    20 Questions Directors Should Ask about Governance Committees

    Table of Contents

    PREFACE

    INTRODUCTION

    PART A: UNDERSTANDINGTHE ROLE AND VALUE OF THEGOVERNANCE COMMITTEE

    1. What are the governance committee’s

    responsibilities and what value does it bring tothe board?

    2. How can the governance committee helpthe board enhance its relationship withmanagement?

    3. What is the role of our governance

    committee?

    PART B: BUILDING AN EFFECTIVEGOVERNANCE COMMITTEE

    4. What skill sets does the governance

    committee require?

    5. Who should sit on the governance committee?

    6. Who should chair the governance committee?

    PART C: COMPOSING THE BOARD

    7. What is the governance committee’s role inbuilding an effective board?

    8. How can the governance committee assess

    potential directors?

    9. How long should directors serve on the boardor a committee?

    10. How can the governance committee assistdirectors in retiring from the board?

    PART D: ENHANCING THE BOARD’SPERFORMANCE EFFECTIVENESS

    11. How can the governance committee assist indirector development?

    12. How can the governance committee help the

    board chair sharpen the board’s performancefocus?

    13. What is the governance committee’s role in

    board evaluation and feedback?

    14. What should the governance committee do if

    a director is not performing or not interactingeffectively with other directors?

    15. Should the governance committee have a role

    in chair succession?

    16. How can the governance committee helpthe board keep its mandates, policies and

    practices up-to-date?

    PART E: EMERGING ROLES OFGOVERNANCE COMMITTEES

    17. How can the governance committee enhance

    the board’s relationship with institutional

    shareholders and other stakeholders?18. What is the governance committee’s role in

    CEO succession?

    19. What role can the governance committee playin preparing for a crisis?

    20. How can the governance committee help the

    board in deciding directors’ pay?

    CONCLUSION

    WHERE TO FIND MORE

    INFORMATION

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    3

    20 Questions Directors Should Ask about Governance Committees

    philosophy and related practices to help ensurea governance committee’s effectiveness — and to

    assist directors in deciding how their governancecommittees can best aid their boards in preparing

    for and responding to new challenges.

    To help directors better appreciate the gover-nance committee’s role, the questions in this

    publication are grouped and presented in a

    sequence:

    • Understanding the role and potential value

    of the governance committee

    • Building an effective governance committee

    • Composing the board and creating conditions

    for its success

    • Enhancing the board’s performance

    effectiveness• Emerging roles to help boards create long

    term value

    Readers should consider the governance prac-tices and concepts discussed in this publication

    in the context of their own board and organiza-tion. No set of practices will be appropriate for

    all boards; each must decide for itself how bestto address the circumstances facing it, keeping

    in mind its organization’s purpose, objectives and

    current strategies as well as the role set out forthe board in the organization.

    Directors should decide the most appropriate

    place for those responsibilities — with the gov-ernance committee, another committee of the

    board, or with the full board. In some instances,

    additional discussion is provided in recognitionof the unique circumstances of certain organiza-

    tions, such as crown corporations or entities witha controlling shareholder.

    While this publication discusses governance

    concepts and practices in the context of thegovernance committee, the most important

    consideration for readers should be determining

    ways their board can bring the greatest value toits governance role. The ideas presented in this

    publication are not prescriptive. Instead, they areintended to inspire governance committees and

    their boards to consider a full spectrum of value-enhancing roles, adopt those that are appropri-

    ate, and build on them when possible.

    Introduction

    As a board, do we have the right directors, withthe right experience, knowledge and motivation

    to help us deliver value to the organization? Are

    we able to effectively set strategic direction withmanagement and oversee and evaluate manage-

    ment’s execution of strategic plans? Are weconfident that we have delegated responsibilities

    effectively across committees? Are we effectivein overseeing risk mitigation and staying on top

    of emerging risks? Do we receive useful feedback

    through regular evaluations that help us enhancethe value we provide? Are we developing candi-

    dates to take leadership positions on our board?Do we have an effective and productive relation-

    ship with management? How well do we under-

    stand stakeholder expectations and is our boardproactively engaging with stakeholders in a way

    that is both productive and mutually beneficial?

    These are just some of the challenging issues thattoday’s governance committees are helping their

    boards to address.

    Governance committees have evolved consider-ably over the past two decades. Initially, as

    nominating committees, their role was to ensure

    that the board nominated directors with theappropriate skills and abilities to enable the board

    to carry out its responsibilities. In the early 2000s

    when legislators and regulators introduced aseries of new regulations, the committee, oftenrenamed the governance and nominating commit-

    tee, was given an expanded role that also included

    overseeing the board’s and company’s compliancewith the many new and changing rules.

    Today, many governance committees, as they are

    now known, are taking on additional responsibili-ties for anticipating critical emerging issues and

    challenges affecting their boards and organiza-

    tions. A growing number of boards also delegateto their governance committee the tasks of fine-

    tuning the board’s own make-up, structures and

    operations — functions that affect the board’sability to deliver value to the enterprise.

    This publication discusses a variety of conceptsand practices relevant to governance commit-

    tees. Some have been widely adopted, while

    others are examples of the way that a few boardshave chosen to respond to the opportunities

    and challenges facing them. On the whole, thepublication focuses less on how governance

    committees operate, and instead lays out a

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    4

    Part A: Understandingthe role and value of the

    governance committee

    The governance committee is unique among the

    board’s committees. While most committeesaddress a single aspect of the board’s mandate,

    the governance committee focuses holisticallyon the entire board. On many boards, the

    governance committee functions as a centre

    for self-reflection to build and enhance theboard’s effectiveness.

    1. What are the governance committee’s

    responsibilities and what value does it

    bring to the board?

    When legislators and regulators began introduc-ing a range of new rules in the early 2000s, the

    role of the traditional nominating committee was

    expanded. Often renamed the governance com-mittee, this committee also became responsible

    for overseeing the board’s and organization’scompliance with the many new and changing laws

    and regulations. Today, this range of responsibili-ties may include:

    • developing and recommending to the board

    the organization’s approach to governanceissues, including a set of corporate gover-

    nance principles and policies with respect

    to board membership, operations andprocesses;

    • recommending policies and procedures topromote a culture of integrity throughout the

    organization, including reviewing compliance

    with the codes of conduct of the board andthe organization (or ensuring that the respon-

    sibility for such a review is delegated to andcarried out effectively by another committee

    or the board as a whole);

    • overseeing the board’s relationship with

    management, including recommendingprocedures to allow the board to function

    independently of management;

    • reviewing policies regarding director indem-

    nification and protection, including directorand officer insurance;

    • helping ensure the board’s and organization’scompliance with all applicable listing require-

    ments, government legislation and otherregulations;

    • reviewing and recommending approval of the

    disclosure of corporate governance practices;

    • considering ways to address increasing

    stakeholder interest in the affairs of the

    organization; and

    • helping to establish parameters for director

    compensation.

    While the mandates of governance committeesnow include oversight of the board’s governance

    practices, these committees still retain their origi-

    nal responsibility for identifying and recommend-ing nominees to the board. In recent years, this

    role has also expanded. Now, many governancecommittees act as a performance catalyst to

    their boards — recommending practices that willimprove the board’s effectiveness, which include:

    • considering and making recommendations to

    the board concerning its competencies andskills and the structure and mandate of the

    board and its committees;

    • reviewing the aggregate skills and competen-cies of the board and identifying and recom-

    mending nominees to the board who will fill

    skill gaps and enhance those competencies;

    • overseeing an orientation program for new

    members of the board and a continuingeducation program for all members of the

    board; and

    • establishing procedures to evaluate theperformance of the board, its committees

    and each of its members and overseeing

    the evaluation process.

    2. How can the governance committee help

    the board enhance its relationship with

    management?

    Boards of directors and senior management have

    complementary leadership roles in the organiza-tion and both are more effective and successful

    when there is a collegial and productive workingrelationship between them. The governance

    committee’s role in helping the board and board

    chair build and maintain such a relationship withmanagement includes helping to ensure that

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    20 Questions Directors Should Ask about Governance Committees

    effective processes and tools are put in place(and if necessary, delegated to the appropriate

    committee) for:

    setting objectives with the CEO and evaluat-ing the CEO’s performance against those

    objectives;

    • developing oversight guidelines to clarify

    the delegation of powers to the CEO and

    clearly prescribe the scope of management’sresponsibilities;

    • supporting the board chair in developing andmaintaining a strong working relationship

    with the CEO;

    • ensuring that management provides theboard with the information it needs, at the

    appropriate level of detail, in the format the

    board requires and in a timely fashion;• encouraging an alignment of purpose, vision

    and strategy among shareholders, directorsand management; and

    • establishing an ethical tone at the top,

    including ensuring that a code of conductis developed and embraced by the board,

    management and the organization.

    Governance committees also have the responsi-

    bility for helping the board to operate indepen-dently of management, in part through:

    • establishing policy consistent with regulation

    regarding the membership of independentdirectors on various committees;

    • ensuring the board has access to appropriateoutside advisors;

    • implementing meetings of the independent

    directors without management present (i.e.,

    in camera meetings); and

    • managing the director nomination process.

    3. What is the role of our governance

    committee?

    Some jurisdictions outline specific responsibilitiesfor the governance committee. The New YorkStock Exchange, for example, requires listed

    companies to have a nominating/corporate gover-nance committee composed entirely of indepen-

    dent directors. The tasks the NYSE mandates for

    this committee are ones that enable it to enhancethe board’s effectiveness. They are to:

    • identify individuals qualified to become

    board members, consistent with the criteriaapproved by the board, and to select, or to

    recommend that the board select, the direc-tor nominees for the next annual meeting of

    shareholders;

    • develop and recommend to the board a set ofcorporate governance guidelines applicable

    to the corporation; and

    • oversee the evaluation of the board and

    management.

    The Canadian Securities Administrators recom-

    mend board governance practices outlined inNational Policy 58-201, Corporate Governance

    Guidelines (some of which are included inQuestion 1). These guidelines, however, do not set

    out a specific role for the governance committee(apart from a description of the role and responsi-

    bilities of a nominating committee).

    A fundamental decision for each board to make,

    therefore, concerns the role it wants its gover-nance committee to take. Is it the traditional role

    of a nominating committee, to focus on ensuringcompliance with listing regulations and other

    rules, to act proactively on activities to build theboard’s effectiveness and maximize its value,

    to help the board build an effective working

    relationship with management and stakeholders,or a combination of these responsibilities? If the

    board decides not to allocate any of the aboveresponsibilities to its governance committee, it

    must determine how those tasks will be handled,

    whether by other committees or by the board asa whole.

    The choices the board makes should reflect its

    own objectives and circumstances, and thoseof the organization. Many of the responsibilities

    outlined above are discussed in greater detailin this publication. Those discussions may be of

    assistance to boards in determining how they will

    allocate these tasks.

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    6

    Part B: Building aneffective governance

    committee

    Governance committees today are under increas-

    ing scrutiny amid growing expectations for thecommittee’s performance.

    As with the board and its other committees,

    one of the most important determinants of thegovernance committee’s success is the quality

    of its members.

    4. What skill sets does the governance

    committee require?

    Members of the governance committee require all

    of the skills and attributes of every good director:high professional integrity and ethical standards,

    a well grounded understanding of the business, amotivation to serve the interests of the organiza-

    tion, independence of mind and a willingness to

    devote the time and energy required of the role.

    Governance committee members should also

    strive to maintain a collective, up-to-date

    understanding of the governance expectationsof the market, regulators and other stakehold-

    ers; an awareness of key governance issues andtrends, particularly in the organization’s industry;

    and experience in working with boards and

    management.

    In addition, important attributes for individualmembers of the committee include:

    • A governance mindset and an ability to make

    governance relevant to the business. An

    interest in the concepts of governance and

    the ability to translate an understanding ofthe board’s role vis-à-vis owners and manage-

    ment into practical measures that assist theboard in executing its mandate and changing

    possible perceptions that good governanceprocesses come at the expense of business.

    • A passion to shape the board’s philosophy

    and behaviour. The conviction to combinesound judgement with the courage and

    willingness to shape the board’s philosophy

    and behaviour.

    • A respect for external perspectives. Anappreciation and understanding of sharehold-

    ers’ and other stakeholders’ interests andtheir implications for the organization (see

    Question 17).

    • Tactful, persuasive communication. Theability to discuss board service and perfor-

    mance issues in a respectful way with otherdirectors, which may include counselling

    colleagues on and off the board.

    FOR MORE INFORMATION, SEE THE

    CICA PUBLICATION 20 QUESTIONS

    DIRECTORS SHOULD ASK ABOUT

    BUILDING A BOARD

    5. Who should sit on the governance

    committee?

    There are different strategies for staffing the

    governance committee. Some boards, forexample, ask their newest members to sit on

    the governance committee since that gives thema good perspective for learning about the board

    and the way it operates, and about the organiza-

    tion and its needs.

    An important consideration when selecting mem-bers of the governance committee is the commit-

    tee’s mandate. For example, some boards givetheir governance committee the responsibility for

    coordinating the board’s agenda and activitiesso the board manages its affairs efficiently and

    productively. Given this mandate, having the

    chairs of the board’s other standing committeessit on the governance committee provides them a

    forum for considering the full governance pictureand planning the board’s workload and delibera-

    tions. Governance committees with this mandate,

    however, must take care that their coordinatingactivities do not render them de facto executive

    committees.

    Since one of the governance committee’s keyresponsibilities is the nomination of new directors,

    many governance committees are composedsolely of independent directors. A notable

    exception is in controlled companies where the

    controlling shareholder often sits on, or names adesignate to sit on, the governance committee.

    In all types of organizations, there are benefitsto inviting the CEO or another related director to

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    20 Questions Directors Should Ask about Governance Committees

    attend portions of the governance committee’smeetings to enhance the committee’s under-

    standing of the organization and its needs.

    A key consideration when selecting members ofthe governance committee is the skills, interests

    and expertise of each director. Committeemembers should have a keen interest in the

    committee’s mandate and be able to work col-

    laboratively with the committee chair to helpimprove the board’s effectiveness. (See Question 4

    for a further discussion of the attributes of a goodgovernance committee member.)

    6. Who should chair the governance

    committee?

    Identifying the right person to chair the gover-nance committee is an important determinant of

    the committee’s success.

    Just as different boards follow different strategies

    for staffing their governance committees, differ-

    ent strategies and practices are pursued whenchoosing the governance committee chair. There

    are, however, some emerging practices for select-ing the governance committee chair that are

    consistent with the committee’s expanding role.

    One of these practices is to require that anindependent director chair the governance

    committee. This is particularly important if related

    directors sit on the committee; an independentchair helps the committee maintain an appropri-

    ate level of independence, particularly withrespect to the nomination of new directors.

    Because of the significant workloads of the

    governance committee and the board, and some

    boards’ desire to have the governance committeeserve as a “check and balance” on the power

    of the board chair, an increasingly commonpractice is for the governance committee to be

    chaired by someone other than the board chair.

    Separating the roles of the board and governancecommittee chairs allows the board to appoint a

    director whose passion is to focus specifically onthe committee’s mandate, particularly given the

    increasingly specialized expertise required of the

    committee and its members. For this arrange-ment to be effective, however, the roles of the

    board and governance committee chairs must beclearly differentiated in order to reduce potential

    conflicts. As well, the two chairs must be able towork cooperatively and manage their relationship

    to the board’s advantage. (See the discussion inQuestion 12 regarding the relationship betweenthe board chair and governance committee chair.)

    In some instances, however, it may be preferable

    to have the same individual chair both the boardand the governance committee. This is often the

    case with crown corporations, many of which

    do not control their own director nominationprocess. Having the same individual in both

    roles helps focus the board’s relationship withthe Minister and avoids confusion that may arise

    when two individuals advocate to the governmenton the board’s behalf.

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    Part C: Composingthe board

    The responsibility for recommending new direc-tors to the board remains one of the governance

    committee’s primary roles. It is also one of themost significant ways the committee has to

    enhance the board’s effectiveness in providing

    strategic value to management and oversightof risks to the organization.

    Without the right people on the board,

    even the best structures and processeswon’t guarantee the right decisions.

    7. What is the governance committee’s role

    in building an effective board?

    The governance committee plays a central role in

    building and managing the board’s effectiveness

    through its responsibility for attracting, evaluat-ing, developing and retiring directors.

    Organizations and their needs change over time.

    The governance committee should develop astrategy to anticipate these changes and manage

    and adjust the board’s composition as necessary

    so the board continues to have the collectiveexpertise and chemistry it requires to carry out

    its responsibilities effectively.

    To build its board composition strategy, thegovernance committee needs to confirm:

    • the board’s role in strategy and risk oversightfor the organization;

    • the aggregate expertise and knowledge

    required of the board;

    • the skills, competencies, expertise and

    relationships required of individual directors,and the board’s priorities regarding those

    skills and the trade-offs among them;

    • the frequency for reviewing board composi-tion, and

    • the frequency of director turnover as

    an opportunity to adjust the board’scomposition.

    The board composition strategy should reflect

    the board’s role within the context of:

    • the organization’s purpose and goals,

    • the organization’s business strategies, and

    • management’s capabilities and relationships.

    A board composition strategy provides the gover-nance committee with a framework for translating

    the organization’s needs into the board’s require-

    ments, and then into director attributes. With thisframework, the committee can guide action in

    four key areas that build a better board:

    a. Director recruitment/selection

    (Question 8)

    b. Director succession/retirement(Questions 9, 10)

    c. Director education/development

    (Questions 11, 12)

    d. Board evaluation/director feedback(Question 13)

    Although the creation of a board composition

    strategy may at first appear challenging, mostboards have many of its components already in

    place. The purpose of the strategy is to integratethese components within the context of the

    board’s own dynamics and the desired organiza-

    tional outcomes (as illustrated in the diagram onthe next page).

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    20 Questions Directors Should Ask about Governance Committees

    Crown corporations

    For many crown corporations, the pro-

    cess for recruiting and removing directors

    differs from that of public corporations.In most cases, the board has little influ-ence over the government’s decisions ondirector tenure. Nonetheless, the board

    chair should communicate with the gov-ernment to ascertain its priorities and

    thus anticipate decisions that will affectthe board’s mandate and membership. A

    proactive board may gain further credibil-ity — and hence additional influence — withthe government by setting out the specif-

    ic skills and experience the board needs,

    in light of the organization’s mandate, toprovide good governance. The board mayalso provide names of potential directors

    who meet these criteria, with the under-standing that the government will add therequisite political dimension when making

    the appointment decision.

    8. How can the governance committee

    assess potential directors?

    The governance committee’s first and best

    opportunity to build board effectiveness isthrough the nomination of high quality directors.

    For this reason, the committee should establish a

    robust nomination process for assessing potentialdirectors and ensuring that they have the appro-

    priate attributes that will enhance the board’sability to carry out its responsibilities.

    In developing its nomination process, the gover-

    nance committee should:

    • Adopt a strategic perspective. The nomina-tion criteria should be based on the board’s

    mandate, its current and anticipated needsand the organization’s strategy and objectives.

    • Seek input from stakeholders. Conferringwith current and past directors, the CEO andother stakeholders can help to fine-tune the

    nomination criteria and better ensure thatthey are relevant to the organization.

    • Assess the board’s current skills and exper-

    tise. A solid understanding of the knowledge,expertise and strengths of current board

    members can be used to identify any skill

    gaps to be filled by future directors. A skills

    • Purposeand goals

    • Strategy (opportunityand challenge)

    • Managementcapability

    • Capital(financial health)

    • People (qualityof human capital)

    • Products (fit withinthe market)

    Director education/ Development

    Balance the board’s humancapital to create a healthypsychological architecture

    BOARD DYNAMICS

    Articulate the board’sgovernance value

    proposition

    ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

    Create metrics to monitorthe board’s impact

    on performance

    ORGANIZATIONAL OUTCOMES

    Director succession/ Retirement

    Board evaluation/ Director feedback

    Director recruitment/ Selection

    4 parts

    of board

    composition

    management

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    10

    matrix, often used to guide the committee innominating new directors, can also be used

    in planning development activities for currentdirectors (see Question 11).

    • Define and prioritize the nomination cri-

    teria. The committee needs to identify theattributes, competencies, experiences and

    relationships desired from new directors.These objectives can be grouped and ranked

    in order of importance based on the organi-

    zation’s needs and any gaps in relation to thecharacteristics of current directors. This pro-

    cess provides the governance committee witha helpful tool for assessing and comparing

    nominees. The committee should also con-sider the combination of criteria that would

    represent the best fit for the board should it

    be necessary to trade one off against another.(Examples of nomination criteria include

    business and organizational experience,functional expertise, business knowledge,

    interpersonal and team skills, availability and

    motivation and human diversity.)

    • Undertake a robust search. To help facilitate

    the search process, many governance com-

    mittees maintain “evergreen” lists of potentialdirector nominees. Executive search consul-

    tants can also help in identifying and pre-screening potential candidates, and may help

    in identifying candidates from under-tappedtalent pools who would create or sustain

    diversity on the board and bring differentperspectives to its deliberations.

    • Assess potential directors. Candidates

    should be evaluated against the ranked list

    of attributes, competencies, experiences andrelationships.

    • Recommend to the board qualified candi-

    dates for formal nomination.

    9. How long should directors serve on

    the board or a committee?

    Ideally, directors should serve on the board or a

    committee for as long as they have the interestand motivation to do so and are contributingvalue. In practice, however, a planned approach

    is usually required to manage board and com-mittee tenure in a way that optimizes the board’s

    talent and helps ensure that the directors’

    collective skills and expertise are relevant tothe organization and its evolving needs.

    In developing its approach to board and com-

    mittee tenure, the governance committee could

    apply a combination of the following factors.

    PERFORMANCE EFFECTIVENESS

    Since the needs of the board and committeeschange over time, individual directors may be

    highly effective under some circumstances butnot others. A key criterion in determining a direc-

    tor’s tenure, therefore, should be performance,

    as determined through valid assessments ofboard and/or committee effectiveness and the

    director’s own contribution. Performance shouldbe considered relative to the board’s or commit-

    tee’s specific objectives, how well a director’s

    attributes match those objectives and a targeted

    competency development plan for directors.

    ROTATION PLAN

    Periodically changing the membership of the

    board and its committees helps reinvigorate theboard and its committees by bringing in new

    directors with fresh perspectives and new ideas.At the same time, however, the rotation plan

    should ensure that enough directors remain on

    the board or a committee to provide continuity.A planned rotation schedule can also support

    succession planning by allowing directors totake on successive leadership roles.

    DIRECTOR INTERESTS

    Directors’ interests may change over time for

    personal reasons or because changes in the

    organization or operating environment createdifferent needs and priorities. Directors should

    voluntarily step down from a committee or theboard if they are no longer sufficiently motivated

    to fulfill the contribution expected of them.

    TERM LENGTH

    While term limits can be challenging, with com-plex implications, some boards do find it helpfulto set minimum and maximum terms of board

    and committee membership.

    A minimum tenure should provide directors withsufficient time to learn about the board and/or

    committee mandate, the way it operates, and tobecome fully conversant in the specific fields of

    expertise. Typically, directors require more time

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    20 Questions Directors Should Ask about Governance Committees

    to become strong contributors when the board orcommittee mandate is more substantial and when

    they serve on boards of more complex organiza-tions. Prior experience and orientation plans can

    shorten a director’s learning period.

    Maximum tenures (either term or age limits) areused by some boards as a non-judgemental way

    to retire members and rotate memberships in

    order to rejuvenate the board and its committees.Term maximums should reflect the fact that there

    are benefits to continuity of board and committeememberships; directors who execute mandates

    competently and have a historical perspective ofactivities and decisions can enhance the effective-

    ness of the board or a committee. Directors who

    remain too long on the board or a committee,however, run the risk of their skills becoming

    obsolete. Holding onto a seat prevents the intro-duction of new members with new perspectives.

    BOARD AND COMMITTEE CHAIRS

    The tenure of the board and committee chairs

    should be determined using the criteria listed

    above.

    In controlled companies, it is not unusualfor the controlling shareholder to sit on

    the board and the governance or othercommittees and their tenure is often

    lengthy. Extra care should be given, there-fore, to determining the tenure of otherdirectors since rejuvenation and new

    thinking are important. It is also importantthat independent directors be of suffi-

    cient stature to interact effectively withthe controlling shareholder.

    10. How can the governance committee

    assist directors in retiring from the

    board?

    At some point in every director’s career, the timeinevitably comes to step down from the board

    or a committee. The transition of directors off

    the board or a committee, therefore, should beviewed as a natural part of the board’s evolution.

    Nevertheless, many directors are reluctant toleave a board position when the time comes

    for them to do so, particularly if they feel it is

    a judgement regarding their contribution.

    With a well-managed succession process, step-

    ping down from a board position should neitherbe surprising nor disrespectful to the individual

    nor be disruptive to the board.

    The governance committee should be responsiblefor managing the director succession process as

    part of its overall board composition strategy (seeQuestion 7). A good time to begin the process of

    transitioning a director off the board is the day

    that director joins the board. Expectations shouldbe set at that time about how the director’s

    tenure will be governed, such as a fixed term, aperformance review, the director’s own interests

    or a combination of these factors (see the discus-

    sion in Question 9).

    To remind directors that the appropriate mix of

    people and skills will change over time, the board

    and governance committee should:

    • Reinforce the performance mindset of direc-

    tors. Hold periodic discussions with directors

    about the changing needs of the board andthe organization, highlighting any gaps and

    overlaps in the current membership.

    • Remind directors that board service is

    time-limited. Annually reviewing directors’

    expected retirement dates with the boardreminds directors that all of them will eventu-

    ally retire, gives each director and the boardtime to prepare for that director’s retirement,

    and eliminates the inference that retirement

    is only due to poor past contribution to theboard.

    • Confirm with each director, via the board

    chair, the expected time remaining in his or

    her tenure. This should be discussed with

    each director at the time he or she receivestheir annual performance feedback.

    • Encourage directors to discuss their chang-

    ing needs, interests and commitment. Directors whose interests have changed or

    who no longer feel as motivated as they did inthe past should be encouraged to step down

    from positions that no longer inspire them.

    • Keep messages about tenure consistent. Thegovernance committee and the board chair

    must work together to avoid delivering con-

    tradictory messages to directors about theirtenure. When the time comes for a director to

    leave the board, the board chair should leadthis discussion.

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    • Ensure directors receive, via the board chair,

    the full thanks of the board for their contri-

    bution. Directors who leave the board shoulddo so feeling their past contributions to the

    board are recognized and appreciated.

    When board chairs retire

    Directors concluding their tenure as

    board chair pose a special challenge forthe governance committee. With their

    knowledge of the board, management,stakeholders and the critical issues affect-

    ing the organization, a past board chair’scontinued contribution as a director andpotential advisor to the new board chair

    can be very valuable. On the other hand,

    their past authority and influence withinthe board may make it difficult for them,other directors, and the new board chair

    to function effectively.

    The governance committee should rec-

    ommend to the board a policy regard-ing the possible role of a past boardchair. Usually, retiring board chairs do

    not remain on the board. If, however,the retiring board chair’s perspective is

    considered to be vital to organizationalperformance, the governance committee

    may recommend that a past board chairremain as a director or be retained in anadvisory capacity for a short term.

    Part D: Enhancing theboard’s performance

    effectiveness

    Through the nominating process, the governance

    committee gains useful knowledge about direc-tors and can use this knowledge to customize

    approaches for developing directors’ skillsand expertise to further improve the board’s

    performance.

    11. How can the governance committee

    assist in director development?

    Organizations and their boards operate in anenvironment that changes frequently, challengingdirectors to adapt and grow in order to continue

    contributing effectively. Nonetheless, the timeintended for directors’ development is often

    sacrificed so the board can focus on current

    issues.

    The governance committee is ideally positionedto identify director development as a priority and

    to take a lead role in planning, coordinating andinvesting in director development. Its responsibili-

    ties may include recommending to the board the

    objectives, means, evaluation criteria and budget

    to provide the necessary development activitiesfor directors.

    Over time, a holistic view should be taken tomonitor and address development needs and

    priorities for individual directors, committeesand the board as a whole.

    In addition, the expectation should be set that

    directors’ development is an ongoing activity.All directors, not just new members of the board,

    should participate in development opportunities

    that include:

    1. An initial board orientation

    New directors become more effectivecontributors faster when they are providedwith opportunities to learn about the business

    (its business model, competitive landscapeand regulatory environment), the organiza-

    tion (its people, strategies and risks) and its

    stakeholders and their interests. Arrangingsite visits and meetings with key execu-

    tives and other stakeholders provides newdirectors with a first-hand understanding of

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    A designated “point person” (such as the boardor governance committee chair, corporate sec-

    retary or external consultant) often coordinatesthe collection of data and compilation of results.

    Feedback intended for the board chair is typi-cally gathered and shared with the board chair

    by the governance committee chair. If the board

    and governance committee chairs are the sameperson, either another member of the governance

    committee or the chair of another committeetakes on that responsibility.

    With the board’s approval, the governance

    committee should determine the resources andbudget required for an effective evaluation

    process. Often, the corporate secretary may

    provide valuable logistical support and anexternal consultant may provide expertise

    and third-party objectivity.

    To maximize the effectiveness of the evaluationand feedback process, the governance committee

    should:

    • Articulate the evaluation’s purpose and prin-

    ciples. The purpose should be performance

    improvement and its principles should includeconfidentiality of data and results, the time-

    sensitive nature of the data, a developmental

    focus in the use of data and a commitment totake action.

    • Decide the scope of the process. Directors,

    particularly the board and committee chairs,can be invited to share their experience and

    interest in feedback in order to gauge theirappetite for evaluation. Most boards provide

    feedback to the board as a whole and itscommittees. The next level of evaluation

    typically provides individual performance

    feedback to the board and committee chairs,individual directors and the CEO (in his or her

    role as a director). The governance commit-tee should identify the specific performance

    dimensions and topics to be probed in the

    evaluation so the feedback provided todirectors is focused on what is most relevant

    to them. The feedback process should also be

    timed so the results can be used in the annualplanning process.

    • Choose the sources of feedback. Asking indi-vidual directors to provide feedback allows

    them to reflect on the value of their owncontribution and how it could be improved.

    Executives who interact with directors can

    offer a valuable management perspective

    on board performance. Board advisors, suchas external counsel, the external auditor and

    other consultants may offer professionalperspectives on board performance, including

    comparisons to other boards.

    • Decide how feedback will be obtained and

    reported. Feedback can be obtained via

    surveys, interviews and roundtable discus-sions, and findings reported through written

    and oral presentations.

    • Determine who will receive the feedback

    reports. The governance committee can

    receive and comment on a draft of thefeedback summaries. For transparency,

    however, the full board should receive a final

    report on the board, its committees andthe board chair. Feedback about individual

    directors should only be seen by the directorin question and whomever else it was agreed

    would see an individual director’s evaluation

    at the outset of the process.

    • Involve the board chair in individual feed-

    back. The feedback process should be used

    to enhance the relationship between directorsand the board chair. If the governance com-

    mittee has been given the responsibility formanaging the evaluation process and the

    information it collects, the committee shouldensure the board chair has the help he/she

    requires to prepare for one-on-one feedback

    discussions with each director.

    • Act constructively on the feedback. Engaging

    in board evaluation provides evidence that

    directors take their duties seriously, par-ticularly when the board follows through by

    using the feedback to refine its performance.Insights from the feedback should, therefore,

    be integrated into the developmental activi-

    ties of each director and translated into theaction plans for each committee and the

    board. High priority objectives for perfor-mance improvement (see Question 11) may

    be included in a subsequent evaluation todemonstrate accountability.

    FOR MORE INFORMATION, SEE THE

    CICA PUBLICATION 20 QUESTIONS

    DIRECTORS SHOULD ASK ABOUT

    GOVERNANCE ASSESSMENTS 

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    20 Questions Directors Should Ask about Governance Committees

    An under-performing board chair

    An under-performing board chair affects

    the functioning and health of the board.The governance committee should provide

    the board chair with feedback regardinghis or her performance against the expec-

    tations set out in the chair’s mandate.If the board chair also chairs the gover-

    nance committee, another committeemember or a chair of another committeeshould provide feedback to the board

    chair (see Question 13).

    15. Should the governance committee have

    a role in chair succession?

    The board’s authority gives it the right to appoint

    its own leader. Given the powerful impact a boardchair can have on both the board and the organi-

    zation, deciding who takes on this role may be the

    most important decision a board can make.

    When choosing a new chair or reconfirming an

    existing one, boards must balance the benefits

    of leadership continuity with revitalization. Thegovernance committee can help the board man-

    age this challenge by seeing that the board putsin place a sound process for board chair succes-

    sion. Such a process helps focus the board on itsleadership needs and the qualities of individualcandidates. By introducing clarity as to how the

    process works and operating with transparency,the governance committee can increase the trust

    and the legitimacy of the outcome.

    To support the board in choosing its leader, thegovernance committee should recommend for

    the board’s approval:

    • A board chair mandate that accuratelyreflects the demands of the role and specifies

    the anticipated tenure (reappointment to the

    role should be confirmed by the board upon

    recommendation by the governance commit-tee, itself based on board chair evaluation);

    • A governance committee mandate that

    includes responsibility for managing the

    board chair succession process; and

    • A board chair succession process.

    14. What should the governance committee

    do if a director is not performing or

    not interacting effectively with other

    directors?

    A director who is not performing or not interact-

    ing effectively with other directors is one of themost difficult challenges a board may have to

    address. Boards are close-knit teams that rely

    on collegiality to function well, which makesit difficult to give a negative assessment to a

    colleague, particularly when the individual iswell known, long serving and has a history of

    good performance.

    Despite the care taken to recruit, evaluate and

    develop successful directors, situations will arisewhen a director’s performance does not meet

    expectations.

    The governance committee has a responsibilityfor recognizing and working with the board chair

    to resolve director non-performance. Typically,it is the board chair who communicates directly

    with the individual to address issues of director

    non-performance. The governance committee’srole is to help the chair assess all directors’ behav-

    iour in a consistent and fair manner by ensuringthat their performance is evaluated against the

    specific and documented expectations that werecreated when the directors joined the board

    (these expectations may have been refined

    through board evaluation feedback as discussedin Question 13). The evaluation and assessment

    process will have additional credibility whenit evaluates performance against established

    criteria, provides independent verification of

    the feedback and offers developmental supportto an under-performing director.

    Communications about a performance issue

    should be delivered to the director in a profes-sional manner and followed up with an action plan

    for improvement, if appropriate, based on inputfrom the governance committee, the board chair

    and the director involved. On an agreed-upon

    schedule, specific feedback should be providedto the director arising from the action plan.

    In some cases, a board chair and director may

    conclude on a mutual basis that the best courseof action is resignation. In less urgent cases of

    unresolved under-performance, the governancecommittee may simply not nominate a director

    for re-election.

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    For the board chair selection process to besuccessful, it must be seen to be fair. This can

    be better achieved when the expectations andprocesses are set in advance, consistently applied

    and transparent.

    The governance committee’s role in overseeingthe chair succession process should include:

    • evaluating the board chair’s performance

    annually;

    • discussing the expectations of the board

    chair annually with the board to create a

    shared understanding of what is required forthe chair’s effectiveness (these discussions

    may be led by the governance committeechair and are typically conducted without

    the board chair present);

    • reminding directors of the board’s policy onchair succession and the specific performance

    expectations of the board chair, as defined inthe board chair mandate;

    • facilitating a discussion between a depart-

    ing chair and the board to offer a realisticoverview of the time and activities involved in

    the position;

    • canvassing the board to identify directorsinterested in assuming the role;

    • recusing a member of the governance com-

    mittee from overseeing this process if theyare a candidate or delegating the responsibil-

    ity to a set of other disinterested directors;

    • creating an opportunity for candidates toaddress and be questioned by the board; and

    • seeking a consensus decision from the board

    (absent the candidates and current boardchair) or holding a vote in the absence of

    consensus.

    The governance committee can prepare a poolof candidates for board leadership by:

    • recruiting people to the board who have

    the potential to fill the role of chair (seeQuestion 8);

    • planning the movement of directors amongboard leadership positions to give exposure

    to potential board chairs (see Question 7);

    • refining director competencies througha director development process (see

    Question 11); and

    • evaluating director performance, includingboard leadership qualities, and providing

    developmental feedback to directors whoaspire to board leadership (see Question 13).

    A well-planned and executed board chair succes-

    sion process increases the chance of selectingsomeone who is suited to the organization’s

    unique governance demands and matches the

    stature of the office.

    16. How can the governance committee help

    the board keep its mandates, policies and

    practices up-to-date?

    The board expresses its expectations, commit-

    ments and values through its mandates, policies

    and practices. As organizations grow and as legaland regulatory contexts change and new stake-holder interests are asserted, these mandates,

    processes and practices must keep pace with

    and, even better, anticipate the changing circum-stances (see Section E).

    The governance committee has an important role

    to assist the board in fine-tuning its mandates,policies and practices to ensure they fully comply

    with existing laws and regulations and help tomaximize the board’s effectiveness. This role may

    include:

    • reviewing board and committee mandates,

    policies and practices to ensure they are com-prehensive in covering the board’s mandate,

    are in accordance with the board’s gover-nance philosophy, are internally consistent

    and reflect the scope of what they actually do;

    • monitoring the development of new or

    changing governance practices, including

    changes in the organization, its businessand industry; stakeholder expectations; best

    practices; and new legislation, regulations andstock exchange listing requirements in order

    to keep the board’s mandates “performance-

    relevant”; and

    working with the board chair and other com-mittee chairs to create an annual calendar tocoordinate work on critical issues brought

    forward under these mandates, policies and

    processes.

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    18. What is the governance committee’s role

    in CEO succession?

    Although one of the board’s most important

    responsibilities is to appoint the CEO, fewdirectors believe their board does a good job atmanaging CEO succession. Today, some gover-

    nance committees are helping their boards adopta more disciplined approach to CEO succession

    planning.

    An important first step is for the board to embedthe responsibility for CEO succession within

    a specific committee mandate. A review of

    committee mandates and membership helps toidentify the appropriate committee. Many boards

    delegate the responsibility for CEO successionto a human resource-focused committee or the

    governance committee.

    Even when responsibility for the CEO succession

    process is assigned to a specific committee, thefull board should undertake a structured CEO

    succession planning discussion at least annually.This attention by the board helps to reduce the

    risk of leadership discontinuity and increases thebenefits of executive leadership development

    planning.1

    To further strengthen their CEO succession plan-

    ning processes, the governance committee canhelp the board to:

    • set the clear expectation that CEO successionis a full board responsibility (and is not to

    be left entirely to management or a specific

    committee);

    • evaluate the current succession process, both

    on paper and in practice;

    • find opportunities to observe CEO successioncandidates and judge their performance;

    • nominate directors who have an interest in

    leadership development or expertise in talentdevelopment;

    • commit adequate resources to support the

    board’s succession efforts;

    • review periodically the talent outside of the

    organization to help ensure that the board’s

    choices are made in the context of the bestavailable talent;

    1 This is generally true in the context of public and private

    boards. Boards of crown corporations or controlled compa-

    nies may be constrained in CEO succession decisions; even in

    these circumstances, a sound succession process may yield

    helpful suggestions to decision-makers.

    • involve the CEO in the process and encouragethe CEO to drive succession planning and

    leadership capacity building throughout theorganization; and

    • encourage dialogue between the board chair

    and CEO so they work collaboratively toshape the CEO’s legacy and contributions

    to the organization.

    FOR MORE INFORMATION, SEE THE

    CICA PUBLICATION 20 QUESTIONS

    DIRECTORS SHOULD ASK ABOUT

    CEO SUCCESSION 

    19. What role can the governance committeeplay in preparing for a crisis?

    No matter how diligently they work to identifyand mitigate potential risks, boards and organiza-

    tions may still encounter sudden and unexpected

    crises. For this reason, organizations shouldhave an up-to-date crisis management plan that

    outlines how they will respond to a crisis, includ-ing identifying individuals on the board and in

    management who will play key roles in managing

    the crisis and speaking for the organization. Theboard itself must know when and how to act in

    the uncertainty of a crisis.

    Management is responsible for developing theorganization’s crisis management plan; the

    board’s responsibility is to see that such a planis in place. Although the governance committee

    is not the crisis management committee of the

    board, from its responsibilities for nominating andevaluating the board, the committee is in a unique

    position to know the skills and competencies ofboard members that may need to be drawn upon

    in the event of a crisis. It can also help to ensure

    there is clarity about where responsibility falls forcrisis preparation or in the event of a crisis.

    Governance committees that adopt a forward-

    looking stance to monitor emerging issues canprovide their boards with early warning of issues

    the board may face and help the board preparefor sudden events, such as the loss of the CEO,

    a corporate takeover or a shareholder revolt.

    In the event of an actual crisis, the governance

    committee can advise the board chair about:

    • the directors whose skills, experience or

    relationships are relevant to the situation;

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    20 Questions Directors Should Ask about Governance Committees

    To help the board anticipate director compensa-tion trends and build legitimacy into director pay

    decisions, the governance committee should:

    articulate a philosophy of director pay (e.g.,uniform base amount for all directors with

    additional pay for board and committeechairs);

    • consider the criteria and forms of payment,

    including determining methods of pay thatensure directors’ independence of manage-

    ment (e.g., cash or equity, not options orequity grants based on performance vesting);

    • undertake comparative studies of director

    pay at similar organizations; and

    • test pay philosophies and decisions with

    major shareholders to gain an owner

    perspective.

    FOR MORE INFORMATION, SEE THE

    CICA PUBLICATION 20 QUESTIONS

    DIRECTORS SHOULD ASK ABOUT

    DIRECTOR COMPENSATION 

    Conclusion

    The responsibilities of the governance commit-tee have grown considerably over the past two

    decades and the committee’s role continues toevolve in response to the changing expectations

    of stakeholders and developments affecting

    boards and organizations. The value of thegovernance committee can be realized in the

    way it helps the board define its mandate, how itconstitutes itself, how it acts to shape the board’s

    composition and seeks to enhance the board’s

    functioning, and how it adapts to evolving rolesthat may help the board to perform more effec-

    tively. As with the board as a whole and its othercommittees, the governance committee is most

    effective and contributes meaningfully when itsmandate is tailored to the needs of the board and

    the organization and the committee is populated

    with directors with the best skills, expertise andenthusiasm to execute that mandate.

    • the contingency plans that exist and maybe relied upon; and

    • the approaches to the crisis that would con-

    stitute good governance and be consistentwith regulatory requirements and the board’s

    own ethical standards.

    FOR MORE INFORMATION, SEE THE

    CICA PUBLICATION 20 QUESTIONS

    DIRECTORS SHOULD ASK ABOUT

    CRISIS MANAGEMENT 

    20. How can the governance committee help

    the board in deciding directors’ pay?

    Boards spend a considerable amount of timedeciding executive compensation but give much

    less attention to director compensation. With theincreasing attention shareholders are devoting

    to executive compensation and their growing

    expectations for board effectiveness, director paymay soon come into the shareholder spotlight.

    Directors face growing time pressures and

    increasing public scrutiny, and director pay hasrisen as a result. Despite that, many directors

    believe that their pay does not match the level

    of effort, value and reputational liability inherentin their role. Although directors determine how

    much they will be paid for their board service,most are highly aware of conflicts of interest

    and, therefore, avoid the attention and possiblecriticism associated with significant pay increases.

    Traditionally, the board’s human resource or

    compensation committee had responsibility for

    director compensation since their focus is primar-ily on human resource and compensation issues.

    Today, however, many boards consider delegatingthe responsibility for overseeing director com-

    pensation to the governance committee for twomain reasons:

    • to avoid the perception of conflict that may

    arise when the same people set executiveperformance benchmarks and related execu-

    tive pay and then set their own pay (particu-

    larly if options are involved); and

    • to integrate director pay into the holistic man-

    date that is focused on board effectiveness

    and is responsible for director recruitment,nomination and evaluation.

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    Where to find moreinformation

    CICA PUBLICATIONSON GOVERNANCE*

    THE DIRECTOR SERIES

    THE 20 QUESTIONS SERIES

    20 Questions Directors and Audit Committees

    Should Ask about IFRS Conversions20 Questions Directors Should Ask aboutBuilding a Board

    20 Questions Directors Should Ask about CEOSuccession

    20 Questions Directors Should Ask about Codes

    of Conduct

    20 Questions Directors Should Ask about CrisisManagement

    20 Questions Directors Should Ask about CrownCorporation Governance

    20 Questions Directors Should Ask about

    Director Compensation

    20 Questions Directors Should Ask aboutDirectors’ and Officers’ Liability Indemnification

    and Insurance

    20 Questions Directors Should Ask about

    Executive Compensation

    20 Questions Directors Should Ask aboutGovernance Assessments

    20 Questions Directors Should Ask about Internal

    Audit (2nd ed)

    20 Questions Directors Should Ask about IT

    20 Questions Directors Should Ask about

    Management’s Discussion and Analysis (2nd ed)

    20 Questions Directors Should Ask aboutResponding to Allegations of Corporate

    Wrongdoing

    20 Questions Directors Should Ask about Risk

    (2nd ed)

    20 Questions Directors Should Ask about theRole of the Human Resources and Compensation

    Committee

    20 Questions Directors Should Ask about theirRole in Pension Governance

    20 Questions Directors Should Ask about Special

    Committees20 Questions Directors Should Ask about

    Strategy (2nd ed)

    DIRECTOR BRIEFINGS

    Climate Change Briefing — Questions for Directorsto Ask

    Long-term Performance Briefing — Questions for

    Directors to Ask

    Controlled Companies — Questions for Directors

    to Ask

    DIRECTOR ALERTS

    Executive Compensation Disclosure — questionsdirectors should ask

    Fraud Risk in Difficult Economic Times —

    questions for directors to ask

    Human Resource and Compensation Issues dur-ing the Financial Crisis — questions for directors

    to ask

    The ABCP Liquidity Crunch — questions directors

    should ask

    The Global Financial Meltdown — questions

    for directors to ask

    THE NOT-FOR-PROFITDIRECTORS SERIES

    NPO 20 QUESTIONS SERIES

    20 Questions Directors of Not-for-profit

    Organizations Should Ask about BoardRecruitment, Development and Assessment

    20 Questions Directors of Not-for-profit

    Organizations Should Ask about Fiduciary Duty

    20 Questions Directors of Not-for-profit

    Organizations Should Ask about Governance

    20 Questions Directors of Not-for-profitOrganizations Should Ask about Risk

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    20 Questions Directors Should Ask about Governance Committees

    20 Questions Directors of Not-for-profitOrganizations Should Ask about Strategy

    and Planning

    Liability Indemnification and Insurance forDirectors of Not-for-Profit Organizations

    NPO DIRECTOR ALERTS

    Increasing public scrutiny of not-for-profitorganizations: questions for directors to ask

    Pandemic Preparation and Response — questions

    for directors to ask

    THE CFO SERIES*

    Deciding to Go Public: What CFOs Need to Know

    Financial Aspects of Governance: What Boards

    Should Expect from CFOs

    How CFOs are Adapting to Today’s Realities

    IFRS Conversions: What CFOs Need to Know

    and Do

    Risk Management: What Boards Should Expectfrom CFOs

    Strategic Planning: What Boards Should Expect

    from CFOs

    THE CONTROL ENVIRONMENTSERIES

    CEO and CFO Certification: ImprovingTransparency and Accountability

    Internal Control: The Next Wave of Certification.

    Helping Smaller Public Companies withCertification and Disclosure about Design

    of Internal Control over Financial Reporting

    Internal Control 2006: The Next Wave ofCertification — Guidance for Directors

    Internal Control 2006: The Next Wave ofCertification — Guidance for Management

    Understanding Disclosure Controls and

    Procedures: Helping CEOs and CFOs Respondto the Need for Better Disclosure

    OTHER REFERENCES

    ON GOVERNANCE EVOLUTIONAnderson, D.W., Melanson, S.J., & Maly, J. (2007).

    The evolution of corporate governance: Powerredistribution brings boards to life. CorporateGovernance: An International Review, 15 (5),

    780-797.

    Anderson, D.W., Maly, J., & Melanson, S.J. (2008).

    Directors, executives and investors are refashion-ing governance: Practical research tracks gover-

    nance evolution, ICD Director, 138 (June), 28-32.

    ON THE VALUE OF THE GOVERNANCE

    COMMITTEE

    National Association of Corporate Directors

    (2007). Report of the NACD Blue RibbonCommission — The Governance Committee:

    Driving board performance; Best practices

    and key resources. NACD: Washington, D.C.

    Anderson, D.W. (2007). The board’s hidden

    performance catalyst: Governance committees

    come of age. ICD Director, 130 (February), 13-14.

    ON BOARD EVALUATION

    Anderson, D.W. (2007). How well is your board

    performing? Your executives may have some

    (surprising) answers. ICD Director, 134 (October),18-21.

    Anderson, D.W. (2006). Board evaluation is not

     just for directors. ICD Director, 128 (October),21-22.

    Anderson, D.W. (2006). Directors embraceevaluation for performance not compliance.

    ICD Director, 127 (August), 23-26.

    Anderson, D.W. (2006). Board evaluation: Use itto develop strength. Directorship, June, 21-22.

    Anderson, D.W. (2006). Board evaluation: An

    instrument of accountability and a tool for

    performance improvement. Partners Magazine:Italian Chamber of Commerce, Spring, 16-17.

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    ON THE ROLE OF THE BOARD CHAIR

    Anderson, D.W. (2008). Board chair succession:

    Choosy boards select better chairs. ICD Director,

    137 (February), 22-24.Anderson, D.W. (2008). First among equals: The

    under-appreciated significance of the BoardChair, ICD Director, 136 (February), 22-23.

    Anderson, D.W. (2006). The Chair and CEO: Two

    leaders, one vision? ICD Director, 126 (June),28-30.

    ON CEO SUCCESSION

    Anderson, D.W., (2007). Do you know your next

    CEO? What directors can do to succeed at suc-cession. ICD Director, 135 (December), 24-28.

    ON RENEWING BOARD MEMBERSHIP

    Anderson, D.W. (2007). Building a better board:

    Building directorship by design, ICD Director, 133

    (August), 20-22.

    Anderson, D.W. (2009). Are term limits a sign of

    a board’s performance failure? ICD Director, 145

    (August), 28-32.

    ON SHAREHOLDER AND STAKEHOLDER

    RELATIONS

    Anderson, D.W. (2008). Are you listening to your

    owners? Directors must step up their game, once

    again. ICD Director, 139 (August), 22-25.

    Anderson, D.W. (2008). Finding value in cor-

    porate social responsibility: Is it time for CSR

    to come out of the closet? ICD Director, 140

    (October), 26-29.

    *Available at www.rogb.ca

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    About the Author

    David Anderson

    David Anderson is President of

    The Anderson Governance Group

    (www.taggra.com), an independent

    advisory firm dedicated to assisting

    boards and management teams

    enhance leadership performance.

    He advises directors, executives,

    investors and regulators based on his

    international research and practice.

    David speaks and writes on leadership in governance

    and management, including regular columns in Canada

    (Director ), the UK (Chartered Secretary ), and the US

    (www.directorship.com). He has published scholarly

    articles in Corporate Governance: An International

    Review, Journal of Managerial Psychology , andLeadership Quarterly . David served as Special Advisor

    to the NACD Blue Ribbon Commission on Board

    Evaluation in 2001 and to five subsequent Commissions.

    David holds a PhD in Industrial and Organizational

    Psychology from The University of Western Ontario,

    where he instructed Organizational Behaviour, an

    MBA from The University of Toronto and the ICD.D

    designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors

    in Canada. David has also chaired two not-for-profit

    organizations.

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    277 WELLINGTON STREET WEST